World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Mexico vs. Costa Rica

Costa Rica host Mexico tonight in a crucial World Cup qualifying match at Estadio Saprissa in San Jose.

Tricolor leads the six-team group with 12 points and needs little motivation against its neighbor. Beating Mexico and El Salvador in the next two games might yield huge benefits.

The top three finishers after the final round earn a spot to South Africa and the fourth placer faces a playoff against South America’s fifth place squad.

El Tri will again be without injured captain Rafa Marquez while Giovani Dos Santos and Cuauhtemoc Blanco are both in the lineup. Andres Guardado and Miguel Sabah are also expected to start, while Nestor Calderon comes in for the injured Carlos Vela.

Game time is 10:00 p.m. ET (4:00 a.m. CET).
UPDATE: Goals by Giovanni Dos Santos, Guillermo Franco and Andres Guardado lifted El Tri over Costa Rica 3-0. Mexico is now into a strong position to reach next year’s World Cup.